TBI Case Yields Charges in Firearms Theft from Deputy’s Cruiser

KNOXVILLE – Special Agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have obtained indictments in connection to the theft of several firearms from a Cocke County Sheriff’s Department patrol vehicle

On January 15^th, and at the request of 4^th District Attorney General James Dunn, TBI Agents began investigating the theft. During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information, that on April 25, 2013, Brandy Nichole Allen, then the girlfriend of a Cocke County Sheriff’s deputy, took several firearms belonging to the Sheriff’s Department and her boyfriend from his patrol vehicle. The investigation further revealed the Cosby woman subsequently sold the firearms to Ricky Ray Ellison. Authorities later recovered the firearms when arresting the Newport man on unrelated charges.

On February 23^rd, the Cocke County Grand Jury returned indictments for Allen, 29, and Ellison, 63, charging each with one count of Theft of Property over $1,000. Both were subsequently booked into the Cocke County Jail and released after posting $5,000 bond each.